Music

Choirs & Singing Groups · Junior Music Program · Handbells & Instrumentalists

Congregational Survey Results--Of those who responded, 60% attend at 9:00 a.m., 30% at 11:15 and 10% at 7:45.  Most results were about what we expected to hear:  most us you like to sing and only a very small minority ever feel that they are singing alone on congregational songs--there's safety in numbers!  The music that is most meaningful to most of you at every service are the congregational songs and hymns.  At 9:00 you also really like Selah (no surprise there!) followed closely by organ music and other instrumental selections.  At 11:15 you favor music by the choir and other small groups of singers or soloists, followed by organ and other instrumental music.  9% of you think we should never sing a song you don't know (How about telling us what songs you like and know? Thanks!) At 9:00 you would like more contemporary songs and old Gospel songs and at 11:15 you can't get enough of our traditional Hymnal 1982.    Thank you for your input!

Chancel Choir Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.

The Chancel Choir are worship leaders from September through May, and we welcome new singers in all sections (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) at any time. When a choir first starts out with a new director, everyone learns the same songs and the choir slowly builds a repertory. As time goes on, choir members leave, new singers join, the choir increases in size, and the repertory expands. New blood is vital to this natural growth cycle. Be a part of this exciting growth in our Chancel Choir, and join us as we sing old favorites and learn wonderful new music by Bach, Gounod, Beethoven, Buxtehude, Herbert Howells, William Mathias and others.Regular rehearsals are on Wednesdays September through May at 7:00 pm in the Music Room, Heyward Hall, Room 210. Contact Director of Music, Celia Tolar-Bane or a choir member for more information.

Choral Scholar Outreach Program

The St. John's Choral Scholar Program constitutes a ministry of outreach to USC and, through the provision of excellence in liturgical art, to the community at large. Since its inception over 20 years ago, the Choral Scholar Program has enriched the worship of St. John's Church as well as provided a fertile learning and spiritual experience for young musicians.

Scholarships are awarded to vocally proficient students who are registered in good academic standing at USC. The normal term of a scholarship is one academic year (September through May) and disbursements are made on this basis.

Choral Scholars sing at weekly rehearsals (Wednesday evenings), at the 11:15 a.m. Sunday service, sometimes at the 9:00 am service, and at special liturgies of the church year such as Christmas Eve (if living in the area,) Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, and occasional Evensongs on Sunday afternoons.

While it is our hope that Choral Scholars will find their personal spiritual journeys enriched by their articipation in regular worship at St. John's , there are no expectations placed upon them with respect to the doctrine or discipline of the Episcopal Church. However, the nature of Episcopal worship and Christian community life does require a certain level of decorum both within the services of the Church and in activities associated with them. Choral Scholars are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the aims of the Gospel.

Hear selected choir anthem, duets & solos

Above All Praise by Felix Mendelssohn (choir, organ and trombone quartet)

Felix Mendelssohn came to know Thomas Attwood, organist of St. Paul's Cathedral in London during one of his earliest visits to the English capital. Attwood, who was a student of Mozart, recognized Mendelssohn's genius early on and became not only a friend, but one of the German composer's chief advocates in the British Isles. In return, Mendelssohn dedicated three Preludes and Fugues to Attwood. One of Mendelssohn's most famous oratorios, St. Paul, is dedicated to the Cathedral's namesake. Above all praise and all majesty, originally set for eight-part unaccompanied choir, is one of the best-loved choruses from St. Paul. Until recently, the oratorio has been performed at the cathedral each St. Paul's Day, January 25th, at Evensong.

The King of Love My Shepherd Is by Henry Baker

Every Time I Feel the Spirit (Traditional Spiritual)

God My Shepherd Walks Beside Me by J. S. Bach Rachel Runge, Soprano (6/22/08)

We Are the Lord's (Tune Londonderry Aire)

Gracious Spirit by K. Lee Scottaccompanied by St. John's Handbell Team

Above All Praise by Felix Mendelssohn from St. Paul; (choir and organ)

In a letter written by the 22 year-old Felix Mendelssohn in December 1831, the young composer's expressed his frustration with the lack of spiritual or even moral content in the musical repertoire of his time. Only a few months later Mendelssohn began work on his first oratorio, St. Paul.  Mendelssohn viewed oratorios (musical dramas with Christian themes), as music not so much for entertainment as for the religious and musical education of the listeners. He took as his models the large-scale choral works of Bach and Handel, realizing that his idea of an oratorio, with its Christian theme, was profoundly different from the modern secular opera that people were hearing at the time.

Mendelssohn wanted to write a work with spiritual substance in a time when the communal focus had shifted from the church to the concert hall. His intent in writing St. Paul was to provide an edifying experience by creating an intense and realistic representation of St. Paul 's life and drawing spiritual applications. St. Paul was premiered on May 22, 18 36 (Pentecost) at the Lower Rhine Music Festival in Dusseldorf . It was Mendelssohn's most popular work during his lifetime.

“Throughout the Land” for Double Chorus from Solomon; Music by G. F. Handel (1685-1759)

Handel's oratorios (essentially operas with sacred themes, suitably set to dignified music) were extremely popular in England , owing both to the nation's choral singing tradition and to the support of pious King George I. Most concertgoers in Handel's time were familiar with the stories of the Old Testament, and so would have recognized the major themes of the oratorios. Solomon, in three acts, was presented for the first time in June of 1748, nearly 260 years ago. Its story is drawn from II Chronicles and I Kings and deals with three aspects of the kingdom and person of Solomon. In Part I the recently built Temple is consecrated, the King, the priests, and his people offer songs of thanksgiving, after which the King retires with his young Queen (Pharaoh's daughter). Part II presents the famous story of Solomon's judgment over the infant claimed by two women. Part III is devoted to the entertainment of the Queen of Sheba on a state visit. The highly textured eight-voice choruses of this splendid oratorio help to emphasize the grandeur of Solomon's kingdom.

"Throughout the Land,” comes near the end of Scene I of Part I of the oratorio: the Temple has been completed and Solomon, the priests, and the people are praising the Lord and invoking his presence in their newly-completed place of worship. (See I Kings, Chapter 8, for the whole story!) As God's mercies are recalled in their corporate worship, the people of Israel (double chorus) sing “Throughout the land Jehovah's praise record! For full of power and mercy is the Lord!” Today at 11:15 we hear our Chancel Choir and Organ as Chorus 1, joined by the USC trombone quartet as Chorus 2 without words. (At 9:00, the Organ alone takes the part of Chorus 1 while the trombones play the part of Chorus 2.) This thrilling chorus reminds us still today of the Lord's tenderness and effective care for all who are His people. May we also keep in mind Solomon's final words found in I Kings 8:61 as he blessed the assembly of Israel on the day of the dedication of the Temple : “Therefore devote yourselves completely to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.” And when worship was finished, all the people feasted for a week and then went home “joyful and in good spirits because of all the goodness that the Lord had shown…”

You may hear the opening chorus of the oratorio Solomon, "Your harps and cymbals sound" on YouTube.